Apparatus for separating ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber

Abstract

An apparatus for separating a ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber at a plurality of positions at once, wherein the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber includes a number of single-core fibers arranged in parallel. This apparatus comprises a first cutting member in which a plurality of sets of arc faces opposed to each other by way of a through path for inserting the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber are disposed along the through path, while the arc faces in the respective sets extend from one side section of the through path halfway through the width direction of the through path; a second cutting member having a plurality of arc faces which continuously extend to and are adapted to join with the respective arc faces of the first cutting member in the width direction of the through path; and guide members which are respectively disposed at both end positions of the through path so as to position the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber inserted into the through path. The first and second cutting members are movable relative to each other in the direction in which the arc faces are opposed to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for separating a ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber in which a number of a single core optical fibers are arranged in parallel, comprising: an entrance guide for receiving said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber;   an exit guide for discharging the separated ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber from said apparatus;   a first set of members arranged between said entrance guide and said exit guide, said first set of members comprising: a first holding member, and   a first moveable member,     said first holding member comprising a pair of first curved faces opposing and spaced from each other and defining a first path parallel to a first direction extending from said entrance guide to said exit guide, said first movable member comprising a pair of second curved faces opposing and spaced from each other and defining a second path parallel to said first direction, said first holding member and said first movable member being arranged adjacent to each other along a second direction perpendicular to said first direction so that said first and second paths are aligned with each other and said ribbon-coated optical fiber is passed along said first and second paths;   a second set of members arranged between said first set of members and said exit guide, said second set of members comprising: a second holding member, and   a second movable member,     said second holding member comprising a pair of third curved faces opposing and spaced from each other and defining a third path parallel to said first direction, said second movable member comprising a pair of fourth curved faces opposing and spaced from each other and defining a fourth path parallel to said first direction, said second holding member and said second movable member being arranged adjacent to each other along said second direction, said first and second sets of members being arranged along said first direction so that said first, second, third, and fourth paths are aligned with each other and said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber is passed along said first, second, third and fourth paths; and   a moving mechanism interconnected to the first movable member and the second movable member for simultaneously and integrally sliding said first movable member and said second movable member in a third direction perpendicular to each of said first and second directions to separate said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber along said first direction,   wherein said first movable member extends to a first position along said second direction with respect to said first path such that an edge of said first movable member is aligned with a first portion of said ribbon-coated optical fiber when said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber is inserted into said first path, and wherein said second movable member extends to a second position along said second direction with respect to said second path such than an edge of said second movable member is aligned with a second portion of said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber when said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber is inserted into said second path, said first position being spaced from said second position along said second direction whereby said ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber is separated into at least three parts.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and third paths define a path through which a part of the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber is fed from said entrance guide to said exit guide. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second and fourth paths define a path through which a part of the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber is fed from said entrance guide to said exit guide. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said entrance and exit guides defines a slit and has a guide lid for closing one side of said slit, wherein each slit has a substantially rectangular cross section for receiving the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said guide lid opens and closes the one side of said slit independently of movement of said first and second cutting members. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first moveable member and said second movable member are slidably arranged in the third direction. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first holding member and said second holding member is pivotally arranged to expose at least one of said second path and said fourth path. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first to fourth curved faces are arc faces. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of any one of the first second, third and fourth curved faces is 30 mm or more. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for separating a ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber having a number of single-core optical fibers arranged in parallel, said apparatus comprising: an entrance guide for receiving the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber;   an exit guide for discharging the separated ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber from said apparatus, a fiber moving path being defined from the entrance guide to the exit guide;   a first cutting member arranged between the entrance guide and said exit guide, comprising: a first movable member having a pair of first curved faces which are opposed to each other in a first direction, and   a second movable member having a pair of second curved faces which are opposed to each other in the first direction,   wherein the first movable member and the second movable member are arranged adjacent to each other in a second direction along the fiber moving path perpendicular to the first direction;     a second cutting member, comprising: a first holding member having a pair of third curved faces which are opposed to each other in the first direction, and   a second holding member having a pair of fourth curved faces which are opposed to each other in the first direction, the first holding member and the second holding member being arranged adjacent to each other in the second direction; and     a moving mechanism interconnected to the first movable member and the second movable member for simultaneously sliding the first movable member and the second movable member in the first direction to separate the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber into a plurality of optical fibers;   wherein the first cutting member is arranged adjacent the second cutting member along a third direction such that the first movable member is aligned with the first holding member and such that the second movable member is aligned with the second holding member;   wherein the first movable member extends a first distance in the third direction with respect to the fiber moving path such that an edge of the first moveable member can be aligned with a first position of the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber; and     wherein the second moveable member extends a second distance in the third direction with respect to the fiber moving path which is different from said first distance such that an edge of the second movable member can be aligned with a second position of the ribbon-coated multicore optical fiber.   
     
     
       11. An apparatus for separating a coated optical multi-fiber ribbon in which a number of single-core optical fibers are arranged in parallel, said apparatus comprising: a frame having two ends;   a first cutting member held by said frame, said first cutting member having a pair of first curved faces and a pair of second curved faces, said pair of first curved faces being opposed to each other by way of a through path which is a space for inserting said coated optical multi-fiber ribbon, said pair of first curved faces being disposed in parallel along said through path, and being curved in a longitudinal direction of said through path,   said pair of second curved faces being opposed to each other by way of said through path and disposed in parallel along said through path and being curved in the longitudinal direction of said through path,   said first and second pairs of curved faces being disposed different positions along the longitudinal length of said through path and extending to positions different from each other with respect to a width direction of said through path;     a second cutting member held by said frame, said first cutting member being relatively moveable in a thickness direction of said through path with respect to said second cutting member; said second cutting member having a pair of third curved faces and a pair of fourth curved faces, said pair of third curved faces being opposed to each other by way of said through path and disposed adjacent with regard to said width direction of said through path to said first curved faces, such that movement of the first cutting member relative to the second cutting member causes shearing of said coated optical multi-fiber ribbon at a position intermediate to said first and said third curved faces,   said pair of fourth curved faces being opposed to each other by way of said through path and disposed adjacent with regard to said width direction of said through path to said second curved faces, such that movement of the first cutting member relative to the second cutting member causes shearing of said coated optical multi-fiber ribbon at a position intermediate to said second and said fourth curved faces,   said first cutting member being moveable in said thickness direction with respect to said second cutting member to effect shearing of said coated optical multi-fiber ribbon at the positions intermediate to the first and third as well as the second and fourth pairs of curved faces when said coated optical multi-fiber ribbon is inserted into said through path; and     guide members respectively disposed at both ends of said frame in said longitudinal direction of said through path wherein said through path extends through said guide members.   
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least a first portion of said second cutting member is movable with respect to said first cutting member in said width direction whereby said first and third curved faces are moveable between a position in which said first and said third curved faces are adjacent to each other in said width direction of said through path and a position in which said first curved faces and said third curved faces separate from each other in said width direction of said through path. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein at least a second portion of said second cutting member is movable with respect to said first cutting member in said width direction whereby said second and fourth curved faces are moveable between a position in which said second and said fourth curved faces are adjacent to each other in said width direction of said through path and a position in which said second curved faces and fourth curved faces separate from each other in said width direction of said through path, said positions being attainable independently of the positions being attained by said first and said third curved faces. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of said guide members has a slit and a guide lid for closing one side of said slit, said slit forming an extension of said through path and having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional form for receiving said coated optical multi-fiber ribbon. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said guide lid opens and closes the one side of said slit independently of movement of said first and said second cutting members. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first cutting member is moveably attached to said frame for said movement in the thickness direction of said through path. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said second cutting member is swingingly attached to said frame, whereby said second cutting member respectively moves to positions adjacent to and away from said first cutting member as said second cutting member swings toward and away from said frame. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a first engaging member is attached to one of said frame and said second cutting member while a second engaging member is attached to the other of said frame and said second cutting member, the position in which the first and the second cutting members are adjacent to each other being maintained as said first and second engaging members engage with each other. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said first and second engaging members are respectively constituted by a pin and a hole into which said pin is inserted. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first to fourth curved faces are arc faces. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first curved faces and the third curved faces substantially form the same curves and also second curved faces and the fourth curved faces substantially form the same curves at an initial position. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said third curved faces are opposed to each other by way of said through path and disposed adjacent with regard to said width direction of said through path to said first curved faces, and said fourth curved faces are opposed to each other by way of said through path and disposed adjacent with regard to said width direction of said through path to said second curved faces.